Richard J. Clark has served since 1989 as Music Director and Organist at Saint Cecilia Church in Boston, Massachusetts. He is also Chapel Organist (Saint Mary’s Chapel) at Boston College. For the Archdiocese of Boston, he directed the Office of Divine Worship Saint Cecilia Schola. His compositions have been performed on four continents.

The liturgical reform bears absolutely no relation to what is called "desacralization" and in no way intends to lend support to the phenomenon of "secularizing the world." Accordingly the rites must retain their dignity, spirit of reverence, and sacred character.
— Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship (5 September 1970)

ERHAPSMOST MISUNDERSTOOD in liturgical music is the concept of “performance.” As musicians, most of us are involved in secular as well as sacred music. The concept of “performing” is the natural conclusion of our work. Yet, in liturgy, it is not. There is understandable tension in what is so natural in one environment and what is unacceptable in another.

So, what is a performance in liturgy? Certainly, the music at mass must be, er…um…executed? Played? Sung? What other word is acceptable? “Performance” can be viewed as a dirty word in liturgy! So what is a musician supposed to do if he or she may not perform?

A few years ago Dr. J. Michael McMahon visited St. Cecilia Parish in Boston to give a symposium on the 2007 USCCB document Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship. With widened eyes he emphatically declared, “…it is not a performance, but the choir had BETTER perform.”

Dr. McMahon is perhaps referring to the diligent preparation of the music, executed with the same attention to detail as any stage performance. However, the delivery is what differs from a secular performance: prayerful humility that points to God instead of to the musician. (However, even great concert artists may take issue with this characterization. Any concert artist desires to move the audience emotionally and spiritually.)

However, I am keenly aware that “performance” in liturgy is often misunderstood as the choir singing alone which is in turn perceived as precluding participation and therefore must not be allowed. However, remember that full and active participation requires both internal and external participation. (See my post on Full and Active Participation.) Yet, the importance of interior participation cannot be underestimated. That the choir may not sing alone is clearly false.

On the various roles of the choir, Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship provides quite a lengthy list of appropriate times in which the choir may sing alone:

“…Appropriate times where the choir might commonly sing alone include a prelude before Mass, the Entrance chant, the Preparation of the Gifts, during the Communion procession or after the reception of Communion, and the recessional. Other appropriate examples are given in the section of this document entitled “Music and the Structure of the Mass” (nos. 137-199).” (Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship. No. 30)

The “other appropriate examples” referred to in nos. 137-199 of the document include the choir singing alone parts of the Gloria, the Gradual, the Sequence, the Creed (in alternatum with the people), and the Agnus Dei with the people responding. While it is inadvisable for the choir to sing alone on everything listed above, the notion that every piece of music must be sung by the congregation is yet another late 20th century liturgical construct. That being said, the document is clear that “The singing of the people should be preeminent.” (Ibid. no. 189)

So, a “performance” in liturgy is something quite different and something I think most of us are prone to, including myself. “Performance” has little to do with the particular music at hand or even its liturgical function. Instead, it has more to do with the manner in which it is delivered. In short, a “performance” in liturgy is to draw attention to oneself rather than to God. This is intangible and difficult to quantify. One cannot always discern what is in another’s heart, but we must be mindful of what is in our own.

Seminarian Ryan G. Duns, SJ puts it quite well in his blog A Jesuit’s Journey. A musician of Irish music, (he’s quite good, I’ve heard him!) he writes here of his understanding of his musical role when accompanying dancers in a secular setting—one we can learn from in a liturgical role:

“The crowd shouldn’t notice the musician, really. We need to dissolve in order that the dancer can find himself or herself caught up in the music and performance. My practice meets their practice in order that they shine…my effort to conceal myself in the music lets the dancer take the stage totally.

“I write this and cannot help but think that this is my notion of priesthood. Just two years from my ordination, it’s not about me putting on a show, about making something happen. My Jesuit training and my musical training converge: I think I’ll be my best when I am noticed least, when I can get out of the way so that those who approach the Lord’s Table are treated, not to a dose of Duns, but to an encounter with the Risen One, the Lord of the Dance.”

There is a lesson here, one that is echoed in the 2007 Bishop’s Document Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship:

125. The role of music is to serve the needs of the Liturgy and not to dominate it, seek to entertain, or draw attention to itself or the musicians. However, there are instances when the praise and adoration of God leads to music taking on a far greater dimension. At other times, simplicity is the most appropriate response. The primary role of music in the Liturgy is to help the members of the gathered assembly to join themselves with the action of Christ and to give voice to the gift of faith.

Likewise, priests must be mindful of the same:

18. “When he celebrates the Eucharist, . . . [the priest] must serve God and the people with dignity and humility, and by his bearing and by the way he says the divine words he must convey to the faithful the living presence of Christ.” (GIRM No. 93)

All this I write for myself as much as for anyone else. I am mindful of my own sinfulness, my own self-interest, my ego, and so on. This serves as a reminder to me to serve God in humility above all.

Priests have expressed concern about throwing the Word of God into the garbage every few months. The Isaac Jogues Illuminated Missal contains the complete Sunday readings for Years ABC, complete Gradual texts, and magnificent page layouts.

Watershed assisted the Birmingham Oratory with media work leading up to the Papal visit and Beatification of John Henry Cardinal Newman. Our documentary shorts provide online tours of the Oratory, including the Cardinal’s Room and Library as well as the parish church and its chapels.

St. Jennings was executed for being a Catholic priest. Seized whilst in the act of saying Mass in the house of St. Swithun Wells, he was hanged, drawn and quartered outside the same house. His execution was particularly bloody. St. Swithun Wells was hanged immediately afterwards.

This new Gregorian Chant Mass (with optional organ accompaniment) uses the new ICEL translation of the Roman Missal. We provide free practice videos, vocalist scores in modern and Gregorian notation, congregational booklets, and much more!

Kevin Allen's brilliant new SATB collection of twelve (12) Sacred Motets that can be used all throughout the Liturgical year. 144 Practice videos by Matthew J. Curtis. Optional Psalm tones written out for each piece, in Latin & English.

Here is a newly-composed Gregorian Chant GLORIA in honor of Saint Edmund Arrowsmith (†1628). Please feel free to download the PDF organist scores, PDF vocalist scores (in both Modern and Gregorian notation). This setting uses the new ICEL translation of the Roman Missal.

A 70-page collection of polyphonic Motets that can be sung by the average parish choir! Although the pieces were designed for SSA or TTB choirs, they also work well for mixed choirs. Matthew has also recorded 56 free practice videos to help your choir members learn these beautiful pieces.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father . . .

If you have an SATB choir that would love a brand new collection of dignified, beautiful, not-too-difficult motets, you need to check out Kevin Allen's "Cantiones Sacrae Simplices." Vocal phenomenon Matthew J. Curtis has also recorded more than 144 practice videos which carefully instruct singers who do not read music well. All 144 training videos are free!

Watershed assisted the Birmingham Oratory with media work leading up to the Papal visit and Beatification of John Henry Cardinal Newman. Our documentary shorts provide online tours of the Oratory, including the Cardinal’s Room and Library as well as the parish church and its chapels.

Distinguished composer Kevin Allen has set twelve Eucharistic Motets for three voices. Although the pieces were designed for SSA or TTB choirs, they also work well for mixed choirs, and a special transposition table has been included for the ease of the choirmaster. Choirmasters and singers will appreciate the fact that these pieces are not difficult to sing.

An hour-long documentary on Sacred Music. Watershed's cameras take you inside the 19th annual Sacred Music Colloquium, sponsored by the Church Music Association of America. The DVD includes a 45-minute, never-before-seen interview with Dr. William Mahrt, CMAA President & Stanford Professor.

The Rt. Rev'd Dom Hervé Courau, Abbat of Notre Dame de Triors, has authorised Watershed to post the Community's Gregorian chant recordings on our sites. For this gracious permission, sincere thanks to Father Abbat, also in the name of all those chanters who will profit from studying these beautiful sung prayers of the Church.

John Henry Newman was born in London (2/21/1801) and died in Birmingham (8/11/1890). As Vicar of St Mary’s Oxford he exerted a profound spiritual influence on the Church of England. Through his extensive published writings and private correspondence he created a greater understanding of the Catholic Church.

This is part of our ongoing Liturgical work, and we are grateful to the many guest composers who generously donate their scores. In addition, we offer free resources for all the other parts of the Mass, and currently provide more than 6,000 free Liturgical scores.

Kevin Allen's world-famous SATB "Tantum Ergo" is now in print. This piece has been enjoyed by many thousands of people, and is featured as the opening piece on "Sacred, Beautiful, & Universal: Colloquium XIX." Corpus Christi Watershed is proud to offer this Motet, along with fourteen other beautiful Motets, in "Cantiones Sacrae II."

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